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Operating Systems Without Systemd

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Re: Operating Systems Without Systemd

#71
post #60
post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well isn't the Unix way still plaguing us with legacy craziness? How many bin directories do we need?

That's cargo culting -- a computer at bell labs once ran out of disk space on the system disk (/), people put binaries in a directory on the user disk (/usr), and everyone started to copy it for all eternity.

Right, and systemd is pretty much the only successful attempt to de-cargo-cult Unix.

Re: Operating Systems Without Systemd

#72
post #27

Plug for Void, the community recently added support[0] for the Pinebook Pro, so it's been my daily driver for a few months now. [0] https://github.com/void-linux/void-mklive/issues/105

Whoa - nice. I just ordered one in March. I was OK with having to try manjaro, but i wanted to try void. Thanks for sharing this.

Re: Operating Systems Without Systemd

#73
post #64
post #5

Sad Gentoo didn't get more mention. Been using that w/OpenRC since before systemd existed and it's still my solid daily driver.

Life long Gentoo user here. The fact that NixOS other other new fangled package management systems are rarely mentioned in the same context as Gentoo has led me to wonder whether the new kids on the block have done their homework. I realize that Gentoo became a meme at some point, but it also seems that it might have transcended to the level of infrastructure. Thus, you rarely ever heard about it for the same reason…

>The fact that NixOS other other new fangled package management systems are rarely mentioned in the same context as Gentoo has led me to wonder whether the new kids on the block have done their homework.

The Nix thesis[0] explicitly cites Gentoo multiple times; it's very much inspired by, and intended to surpass, Gentoo.

[0]: https://edolstra.github.io/pubs/phd-thesis.pdf

Re: Operating Systems Without Systemd

#74
post #66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The latest round of controversy is probably because They're pushing the new 'homed' component, which is supposed to change up how home directories (and user accounts) are managed. It's supposed to enable easier encryption of home directories, but breaks ssh logins. Therefore it's probably only suitable for multi-user systems (which need to protect home directoried from other users) that are also never accessed remote…

Actually AFAIK the main usecase is single user client systems (say a laptop). Homed makes it easier to encrypt the home directory at any time (without the need to reformat with LUKS) and handles stuff like suspend better (can drop encryption keys before going to suspend and then requesting them on resume).

that's such a small sliver of linux users that the vast majority of linux users (who actually need SSH) are taking the overhead for nothing in return...

Re: Operating Systems Without Systemd

#75

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The argument is not about the init system. systemd’s is probably fine. It’s about an ever expanding take-over of userspace by a single module, which is not the Unix way. And about a high-handed project leader who is paid by Redhat to do it full time.

> by a single module, which is not the Unix way. Kind of ironic when one of the oft touted complaints I recall about Linux vs the BSDs or virtually any historical Unix is how the userspace and kernel are not one integrated distribution.

We have now reached the "Unix, is that a flavor of Linux?" state that people joked about in the 1990s. If the only Unix you know is Linux, then your "Unix way" is really the Linux way (which is just a different set of historical accidents).

Re: Operating Systems Without Systemd

#77
post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

journalctl is a text adventure fever dream. Do systemd timers use a different logging system?

You can output journald to syslog with one config option[1]. 1. https://www.freedesktop.org/software/systemd/man/systemd-jou...

Then it should be on by default. Having to use journalctl instead of reading a plaintext file in /var/log should have resulted in a swift slap upside the noggin the moment it was first considered.

I otherwise don't care about systemd, except for the more-than-one locations I might find an init script hiding on my system. It's fine.

But don't make me use journalctl just to tail a god damned file like a normal person.

Edit: I may have reached that point on friday night where the bottle of port and my grey beard have finally reached "old man yells at cloud" stage. My apologies.

Re: Operating Systems Without Systemd

#78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If someone is able to create something that is half as good as systemd then distros will switch time it. The thing is that systemd solves a lot of problems for distros in a good enough way (frankly, currently in a way that is better than any existing alternative) that they are happy to have systemd deal with those issues while they focus on the stuff the distro makers are interested in.

What is desireable to a distro maintainer is offten not what is desireable to a user or admin. Systemd favors the distro maintainer and cloud application service provider, and maybe the appliance manufacturer. It's the exact opposite of a useful tool empowering the the individual.

As a lowly JS developer, I have had a positive experience with systemd. One service file and it handles logging and process management. Better than the insane options the JS community cooked up IMO.

Re: Operating Systems Without Systemd

#79
post #71
post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's cargo culting -- a computer at bell labs once ran out of disk space on the system disk (/), people put binaries in a directory on the user disk (/usr), and everyone started to copy it for all eternity.

Right, and systemd is pretty much the only successful attempt to de-cargo-cult Unix.

Wut. What has it de-cargo-culted? Most of the stuff that could use de-cargo-culting is still there under it.
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